Now that I've heard the whole thing, Run the Jewels is phenomenal. If I had to pay for it, it would probably be a 7/10, but it's up there in the 8.5-9 range for me as a free download. The production is super on point, and I can't help but think this is like the new incarnation of Company Flow. Every track minus "36" Chain" bumps. Pure quality.

Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:10 pm

NeuroA champion of Kurtis SP

Joined: 19 Jul 2002
Posts: 7909

the album is a banger

really dope

im buying it asap

besides killer mikes obvious hits on his album, i kinda like this more

Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:41 pm

NeuroA champion of Kurtis SP

Joined: 19 Jul 2002
Posts: 7909

Captiv8 wrote: Now that I've heard the whole thing, Run the Jewels is phenomenal. If I had to pay for it, it would probably be a 7/10, but it's up there in the 8.5-9 range for me as a free download. The production is super on point, and I can't help but think this is like the new incarnation of Company Flow. Every track minus "36" Chain" bumps. Pure quality.

why is paying for it making a hit on your rating

Thu Jun 27, 2013 8:49 pm

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

Because you pay for something and you expect a certain level of excellence. If some aspect of the thing falls short of your expectations, that affects your assessment of it because it was a product your paid for. Something free, on the other hand, is a gift, and thus one's expectations are lower. If the thing is not quite up to snuff, one will be more forgiving based on the fact that the item was free.

And 7.0 (based on the paid scale) is too harsh. I'd give it more around the 7.5-8.0 range.

Thu Jun 27, 2013 9:05 pm

NeuroA champion of Kurtis SP

Joined: 19 Jul 2002
Posts: 7909

i guess i understand that logic, i just try not to go by it

Thu Jun 27, 2013 9:08 pm

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

What's better? Good ice cream that you paid for, or good ice cream that you got for free?

Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:08 am

T-Wrexp00ny tang

Joined: 30 Jun 2002
Posts: 6416
Location: Detroit, Michigan

I'm with Neuro.
Good is good,
Money is just an illusion.
If you were a billionaire, how would you rate the album differently?

Sat Jun 29, 2013 2:25 pm

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

Irrelevant. I'd still be a paying consumer, and my expectations would still be overwhelmed, whelmed, or underwhelmed. When I choose to purchase record X over record Y, I also choose to allocate my money to one product over another. I expect quality, regardless of what's in my bank account.

i just believe they are and should be separate things, how you get them, from what they are in itsself

Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:30 pm

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

Prontoid wrote: Huh? You listen to wack albums if they're free?

No, but somebody will.

Sat Jun 29, 2013 8:55 pm

SFR announcement

Joined: 26 Jul 2004
Posts: 967

Captiv8 wrote:

Prontoid wrote: Huh? You listen to wack albums if they're free?

No, but somebody will.

If not you, then who? Do your part.

Sat Jun 29, 2013 10:01 pm

Captiv8

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 8546
Location: Third Coast

Won't be me, brah. I'm a listen-before-purchasing kind of consumer, unless the artist has proven themselves time and again, album after album. I'd say something in the range of 90% of music isn't worth listening to, let alone owning, these days. Thankfully for that 90%, must people aren't that discerning or exacting in their musical tastes. This is especially true of hip hop and rap. Anybody can rhyme words, and anybody with a little know-how and a laptop can put together a beat. Most of it is rehashed, trite, or pandering. I'n not interested.

All of this is to say that the free or pay what you like model of music production offers some interesting options to the artist and consumer. If the item is free it's whatever for both artist and consumer. Either you'll listen or you won't, but it's not a hand to mouth kind of scenario for anybody. Pay what you want puts the onus on the listener, who will hopefully pay what they think the artist deserves. In the above example, I would have paid $7 for Run the Jewels. I have routinely paid various artists money through paypal for work they essentially offered for free. But if you're goin to say "I need $10 from you first," (this is wholesale, a la bandcamp or other direct methods) I'd better be getting some great stuff. That expectation goes way down when the artist says "It's worth $10, but go ahead and get it free of charge." I have made no investment, so it's all reward. Any disappointing tracks are negligible.

I will buy or download good music, then rep it hard, especially of it's free. Don't make music unless it's worth listening to should be the standard.